


Nothing Left To Hide

by xLoveMx



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Fluff, Humor, M/M, artagan is endeared, artek, essek doesn't know how to flirt, oh and there's a hot tub, the widojest server made me do it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-06
Updated: 2020-09-06
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:28:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26324902
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xLoveMx/pseuds/xLoveMx
Summary: Like many of the things Essek had gotten himself into these past few months, this one was entirely Jester’s fault.
Relationships: Artagan/Essek Thelyss
Comments: 17
Kudos: 50





	Nothing Left To Hide

**Author's Note:**

> Honestly, it's a little embarrassing how fast I was sold on this ship! :P They have so much potential though so expect more of them in the future!

Like many of the things Essek had gotten himself into these past few months, this one was entirely Jester’s fault. He had initially been glad to hear from her, because he was aware of the trouble her and the rest of the Mighty Nein got themselves in on a regular basis, so knowing they were alive and well was...comforting in a way. What he hadn’t expected was to be sent to their house to check on things, and he might not have done it if he didn’t literally owe them his life, or maybe he would have, mainly because it was hard to say no to Jester. A sentiment he had found he shared with the rest of the Mighty Nein.

They had hired a housekeeper to keep an eye on the house, and keep things clean and neat in their absence, but Essek knew that they had only met her once before leaving Rosohna again, so he assumed they wanted him to make sure she hadn’t robbed them and taken off across the border. Not that many people actually left Xhorhas to go across any sort of borders, especially not if they weren’t involved in government business, but still, he wouldn’t put it past some people, especially if the Mighty Nein had left any sort of valuables around the house that could be stolen.

He had waited until nightfall, once he had been done with meetings for the day, and made sure that Vedalla had left, before he approached the house. It was almost strange, stepping across the threshold, knowing that none of his friends were there. If he could still call them his friends, but that was a thought he had been avoiding for the past two weeks. Jester contacting him and trusting him to take a look at their house, was at least a step in the right direction, or that was what Essek kept telling himself.

Mumbling a few words, his feet eventually touched the ground as he moved to turn the lights on. The place was clean, and while Essek only poked his head into their respective rooms, out of respect for their privacy, it all looked as if Vedalla was doing a great job with the task she had been given. Even the rooftop garden with the massive tree that people still talked about in the neighborhood to this day, was blooming wonderfully.

The only thing left to check before he could return to his own home and bury his nose in a book, was the basement. Something about it was off though, he noticed the moment he set foot on the steps that lead downstairs. There was a bubbling sound and a faintly glowing light, that shouldn’t have been there, came into view. For a moment Essek assumed that Jester might have tricked him, that they had already returned, but he would have heard about that, right? The second thought that entered his mind was an intruder, but then again who was going to break into a house just to use the hot tub? There was nothing else really down here to steal or even vandalize, so when Essek stepped into the room, he was only half surprised to actually see someone in the hot tub, but surprised to find that it was about the last person he had expected to ever actually meet.

“Well, hello there.” The man was leaning back, arms sprawled over the sides of the hot tub with his red hair tied up into a bun and his lips curved into an almost mischievous smile. Essek had never actually seen him before, but Jester had talked about her deity multiple times and it was easy to connect the dots. He couldn’t quite explain why on earth an Archfey would be spending his time in a hot tub on a foreign continent though.

“Don’t you have a cult to run?” Essek replied, one eyebrow raised as he came to a stop.

“Oh God no, that’s in the past. Way too much work.” He waved his hand and Essek had to admit that he was just a little bit distracted by the other man’s so casually displayed, and naked, chest. It wasn’t like he had never seen anyone naked before, but it had become a rare occurrence during the last year with how he had chosen to keep to himself just to minimize the chances of anyone getting even the slightest hint of what he was up to. “If you’re not joining, you could get me a drink.” The other man pulled him from his thoughts, and Essek raised another eyebrow. “What? Oh, we haven’t formally been introduced, I am Artagan. I have heard quite a lot about you from Jester,”

“So have I.” In fact, Essek had to admit that Jester had talked a lot about her deity, though she had always called him The Traveler. His actual name was one Essek had picked up once or twice, but he assumed she hadn’t always known that was what he was actually called.

“Now, I’m not picky when it comes to drinks. I did hear about a _White Xhorhasian_ that’s supposed to be the specialty here.” With his lips curved into a grin he moved towards the opposite end of the hot tub, leaning onto his forearms as his eyes found Essek’s again. “I wouldn’t mind a blue Xhorhasian, either.” And well, Essek wasn’t proud of it, but the flirting caught him so off guard that he could actually feel his cheeks flushing.

“Just...get out of the hot tub,” He muttered, shaking his head in an attempt to regain some composure. This really wasn’t how he had expected his evening to go, so he quickly turned around and, with as much dignity as he could muster, walked back up the stairs. Of course, he could have walked straight out of the house, but there was just something about that smile that compelled him to instead take a turn towards the kitchen. He admittedly had no idea what Beau put into her signature drink, but he knew a few recipes himself, and those would have to do for now. If he just got through this, and played nice for a little bit, he would maybe improve his standing with the Mighty Nein, or at the very least with Jester. He might not have met Artagan before, but he knew that the Archfey was at least as important to her as the rest of her friends, maybe even a little more.

He was halfway through fixing the second drink when he heard footsteps approach. “You know, I could go for some dinner,” The other man’s voice was followed by a chuckle, and Essek had half a mind to roll his eyes.

“I am not your maid, you know?” He responded, turning around and almost dropping the glass he’d been holding. Artagan had, of course will full intent, walked into the kitchen wearing nothing but a towel that was barely covering the important parts, leaving his chest now fully exposed with a couple of droplets of water running down the front and disappearing beneath the towel.

Essek stood frozen, clutching the drink in his hand in an attempt not to let it fall to the ground. “Bastard.” He then found himself muttering, which caused the other man to laugh.

“Ah, I prefer Trickster, really. Is that for me?” He stepped forward, taking the drink from Essek’s hand, who seemed to finally be able to remember how to move. There was something about him that was...compelling, interesting maybe, and Essek could suddenly understand why this man was able to gather a following without much effort, even though he assumed Jester and her pamphlets must have helped just a little bit.

Picking up his own drink, Essek tried his best not to stare as he turned back to look at the other man, who didn’t seem to make any kind of effort to hide the fact that he was enjoying the way Essek was blushing once more. “I don’t think there’s any food here that could be prepared, unless you feel like harvesting the vegetable garden on top,”

“Ah yes, what’s up with that tree anyways? I’ve been meaning to ask,” Artagan chuckled and Essek simply waved his hand.

“I don’t...I didn’t ask. They have quite the standing in this country and city, otherwise somebody would have long taken it down,” He replied, before taking a sip of his drink. “If you’re starving, I can offer some food at my house.” The words were out before he could stop himself, and with the way the other man’s lips curved into another grin.

“Wonderful, what are we waiting for then?” He chuckled, and Essek quickly downed the rest of his drink.

“You’re not wearing any clothes,” He then pointed out, which caused another laugh from Artagan, who simply waved his hands.

“I’ve never had complaints about that before.” And really, Essek considered just teleporting away. It didn’t even matter where he was going, just away from the man that was somehow throwing him off more than even the Mighty Nein had been able to.

Putting away the empty glass he took a deep breath before turning around once more to find Artagan in the doorway, now with a green cloak covering most of himself.

“You better not still be naked under there.” Essek muttered as he brushed past him, ignoring the way his stomach fluttered just the tiniest bit.

“You could find out,” The other man’s voice traveled after him on his way to the door, and Essek despite his better judgement, laughed. 


End file.
